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PROS

CONS

Numerous bugs including frequent crashes.

Clunky interface design; manages to be chunky and slow while also hard to read and operate at the same time.

VERDICT

Pixel Fighters walks a fine line between success and failure as it combines excellent gameplay, mechanics and features with clunky designs and a poorly optimized executable; if you're lucky enough to not experience crashing issues, Pixel Fighters is well worth picking up.

Full Review

App Store Info

Occasionally, despite all evidence in front of me that says I shouldn't like something, I find myself beating my head against a brick wall trying to find the one thing that makes all of the time spent playing the game worthwhile. Pixel Fighters by BitWit Solutions is, potentially, a fantastic tactical title and manages to merge JRPG-like combat and tropes with more traditional tactical action-point based mechanics. It's an odd fit, but one that really does work, making it all the more disappointing when your game crashes out for the umpteenth time before you manage to kill the final boss.

Pixel Fighters strips back the grinding, the waffling storyline, and the unnecessary quest for powerful items from a traditional JRPG and replaces it all with a linear never-ending brawl. For some this may sound boring, but hold on to your hats because instead of mindlessly spamming the attack button you'll need to combine your abilities as a 3-man team to overcome each challenge put before you.

Players can choose a group from a handful of common 'clases', ranging from basic warrior, hunter, priest, and mage to the more exotic shaman, paladin, and warlock. Everything you do in the game is dictated by 'AP' (action points), with players earning 3 AP per round, however careful use and tactical planning may require you to 'save' up to 3 AP, allowing you to potentially have 6 AP at the beginning of your next round. This unlocks access to high-level skills, causing anything from huge amounts of burst damage to setting your team up for a knock-out blow against the team you're facing.

If you get tired of the singleplayer adventure mode you can test your skills online or on local networks, taking your tactical knowledge to the next level.

All of this alone would be fantastic if not for two glaring problems that either slow down progression or worse-still, stop it altogether. While the game's 'retro' feel is charming, the chunky interface doesn't mesh well and despite how much menus overlap the screen, each option is miniscule and provides little info about its effect until you hover over it with your finger. Updates to the interface feel incredibly slow, leaving the player mashing the screen waiting for the ability to 'Save AP' or simply opening a basic menu after selecting a character. However this is nothing compared to the relatively frequent crashes experienced on an iPhone 4S, resulting in the need to restart an entire fight from the last checkpoint (thankfully the game saves after every battle).

Buried underneath the bugs and clunky controls is a game worthy of praise, but until these things are sorted out it's hard to recommend Pixel Fighters at this time. If these things don't concern you so much, then by all means, grab this great title and watch your afternoon melt away.

Description

Pixel Fighters is a Score Oriented Strategy RPG for iOS devices with on-the-go mobile play in mind. It is intended to take influence from many classic RPG games of the past while being appropriately short for iPhone and similar to the length and style of an Arcade Fighting Game.

VS. Modes allow you to play Locally or Online through Game center with a friend or auto-match. Use your own picture as a battleground with your camera or library picture!

In Pixel Fighters Single Player, you are adventuring to save the Pixelverse. Use pixels gained to increase your power or save them for good. Your fate will be your own choice.

NOTE: For iOS 4.1 and later on any device iPod 2nd Gen or better

FEATURES
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- 9 Unique Combatants to choose from
- Easy to pick up and put down gameplay
- Every adventure finishes with a score. Challenge yourself to get a higher score.
- Post scores online and earn achievements with Game Center
- Play VS. a friend locally in Splitscreen or Bluetooth modes
- Play VS. a friend or random match through Game Center
- Use your Camera or Photo Library to make your own battleground!